U.S. patent application number 12/153846 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-25 for service providing method and system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba. Invention is credited to Miwako Doi, Hiroshi Sugiyama.
Application Number | 20080235347 12/153846 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18559868 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080235347 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Doi; Miwako ; et
al. |
September 25, 2008 |
Service providing method and system
Abstract
In a service provider system, a service provider provides
service information dependent on location information of a mobile
terminal to the mobile terminal in response to a service request
with the location information sent by the mobile terminal. A
communication control unit controls communication between the
mobile terminal and the service provider. The communication control
unit converts a user identifier of the mobile terminal in the
service request to a temporary identifier for the
communication.
Inventors: |
Doi; Miwako; (Kanagawa-ken,
JP) ; Sugiyama; Hiroshi; (Kanagawa-ken, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER;LLP
901 NEW YORK AVENUE, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-4413
US
|
Assignee: |
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Kawasaki-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
18559868 |
Appl. No.: |
12/153846 |
Filed: |
May 27, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09754149 |
Jan 5, 2001 |
|
|
|
12153846 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/217 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 4/02 20130101; H04W
4/027 20130101; H04W 12/02 20130101; H04W 4/029 20180201; H04L
63/0414 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/217 |
International
Class: |
G06F 15/16 20060101
G06F015/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 14, 2000 |
JP |
P2000-035705 |
Claims
1.-16. (canceled)
17. A mobile terminal, comprising: a dynamic user profile memory
configured to store a dynamic user profile representing information
dynamically changed over time, the dynamic user profile including
location information of the mobile terminal; and a communication
unit configured to send a service request with the dynamic user
profile to a location dependent service provider, and to receive
service information sent by the location dependent service
provider, the service information depending on the location
information in the dynamic user profile.
18. The mobile terminal according to claim 17, further comprising:
a location information acquirement unit configured to acquire
location information of the mobile terminal, and to update the
location information of the dynamic user profile stored in said
dynamic user profile memory.
19. The mobile terminal according to claim 17, wherein the dynamic
user profile does not include a user identifier related to a user
of the mobile terminal.
20. The mobile terminal according to claim 17, further comprising:
a static user profile memory configured to store a static user
profile representing information not dynamically changed, the
static user profile including a user identifier of the user of the
mobile terminal.
21. The mobile terminal according to claim 20, wherein said
communication unit sends a service request with the static user
profile to a location independent service provider, and receives
service information sent by the location independent service
provider, the service information being independent of the location
of the mobile terminal.
22. The mobile terminal according to claim 21, wherein said
communication unit sends a service request with the dynamic user
profile to a user non-identification service provider, and receives
service information sent by the user non-identification service
provider, the service information being unnecessary to identify the
user.
23. The mobile terminal according to claim 22, wherein said
communication unit sends a service request with the static user
profile to a user identification service provider, and receives
service information sent by the user identification service
provider, the service information being necessary to identify the
user.
24. A computer-readable memory containing computer-readable
instructions for a mobile terminal, comprising: an instruction unit
to store a dynamic user profile representing information
dynamically changed by a time passage, the dynamic user profile
including location information of the mobile terminal; an
instruction unit to send a service request with the dynamic user
profile to an external server; and an instruction unit to receive
service information sent by the external server, the service
information depending on the location of the mobile terminal.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a service providing method
and system for providing various services to a mobile terminal such
as a cellular-phone or a portable handy-phone.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In an advertisement displayed on an Internet homepage, i.e.,
banner advertisement, geographical boundaries do not exist because
of the reach of the world wide Web. Accordingly, in order to
advertise toward the world without the local limit, banner
advertisement is a useful system. However, from a position of a
user, even if the user finds an interesting advertisement and if
the user can not actually utilize the service propagated by the
advertisement, for example, if a store which sells a commodity
propagated by the advertisement is located at remote place where
the user can not easily go, this advertisement is not useful for
the user.
[0003] On the other hand, in a TV broadcast or a radio broadcast,
program contents are common for each area in the same country.
However, the commercial content (CM) is different for each area and
presents useful information for the audiences.
[0004] TV and radio audiences enjoy the common TV/radio program
contents and the local commercial contents. They can purchase
commodities based on the local advertisement information they
obtain from the TV/radio broadcast. The contents via the mobile
terminal are the same and independent on the mobile terminal
location. It is not useful for the mobile terminal users to obtain
the same advertisement nevertheless where they are. If the mobile
terminal users obtain the location dependent advertisement
information, they can immediately go the store or restaurant
informed, and enjoy shopping or foods.
[0005] Furthermore, in Internet access by some cellular-phone
terminal, i.e., i-mode, at the time of dialing to connect the
terminal to the Internet, the telephone numbers provides a
particular user ID of the cellular-phone. By EC (electronic
commerce) technique attracting attention recently, if a commodity
is purchased using the Internet, personal information such as a
credit card number in addition to the user ID is transmitted. In
case that the advertisement service is executed for the
cellular-phone terminal through the Internet, it is necessary for
the service provider side to strictly identify the user who
requests the advertisement service. The necessity that the provider
must identify the user occurs if the user actually executes the
commodity purchase activity by watching the advertisement. However,
a wireless access by present cellular-phone is realized on the
assumption that information to identify the user of the terminal,
i.e., the user ID, is transmitted. Therefore, even if the user
simply watches the advertisement, anonymity is not guaranteed. If
anonymity is not guaranteed, the user does not wish to watch the
advertisement undecided for the user to utilize. As a result, the
advertisement service itself using such a cellular-phone becomes
meaningless or valueless.
[0006] As mentioned-above, in the prior art, as for the mobile
terminal such as the cellular-phone, the service suitable for the
portability of the mobile terminal is not presented.
[0007] Furthermore, in a service access to the Internet by the
cellular-phone, if the provided service is an advertisement, the
information to identify the user such as the user ID is disclosed
notwithstanding that the provider need not originally identify the
user. Accordingly, the user's anonymity is not maintained.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
service providing method for providing a service suitable for
movement to the mobile terminal.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
service providing system for anonymously presenting a user of the
mobile terminal to a service.
[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided a
service providing method, comprising the steps of: obtaining
location information of a mobile terminal sent by the mobile
terminal; and providing a service dependent on the location
information to the mobile terminal in response to a service request
sent by the mobile terminal.
[0011] Further in accordance with the present invention, there is
also provided a service providing system, comprising: a service
provider configured to provide a service dependent on location
information of a mobile terminal to the mobile terminal in response
to a service request with the location information sent by the
mobile terminal; and a communication control unit configured to
control communication between the mobile terminal and said service
provider, wherein said communication control unit converts a user
identifier of the mobile terminal in the service request to a
temporary identifier.
[0012] Further in accordance with the present invention, there is
also provided a service providing system, comprising: a user
identification service provider configured to provide a service
necessary to identify a user to a mobile terminal of the user; a
user non-identification service provider configured to provide a
service unnecessary to identify the user to the mobile terminal;
and a communication control unit configured to control
communication between the mobile terminal, said user identification
service provider, and said user non-identification service
provider, wherein said communication control unit converts a user
identifier of the mobile terminal in service request information
sent by the mobile terminal to a temporary identifier.
[0013] Further in accordance with the present invention, there is
also provided a mobile terminal, comprising: a dynamic user profile
memory configured to store a dynamic user profile representing
information dynamically changed by a time passage, the dynamic user
profile including location information of the mobile terminal; and
a communication unit configured to send a service request with the
dynamic user profile to a location dependent service provider, and
to receive a service information sent by the location dependent
service provider, the service information depending on the location
information in the dynamic user profile.
[0014] Further in accordance with the present invention, there is
also provided a computer-readable memory containing
computer-readable instructions for a mobile terminal, comprising:
an instruction unit to store a dynamic user profile representing
information dynamically changed by a time passage, the dynamic user
profile including location information of the mobile terminal; an
instruction unit to send a service request with the dynamic user
profile to an external server; and an instruction unit to receive
service information sent by the external server, the service
information depending on the location of the mobile terminal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal and a service
providing system according to a first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 is an example of a dynamic user profile according to
the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of processing flow of
providing a location dependent service according to the first
embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIGS. 4A and 4B are examples of a service request
information table and service request information in a wireless
gateway according to the first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0019] FIGS. 5A and 5B are examples of a service request
information table and service response information in a location
dependent service providing server according to the first
embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an example use image of the
mobile terminal.
[0021] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the mobile terminal and the
service providing system according to a second embodiment of the
present invention.
[0022] FIGS. 8A and 8B are examples of a dynamic user profile and a
static user profile according to the second embodiment of the
present invention.
[0023] FIGS. 9A and 9B are examples of information stored in a
dynamic user profile memory and a static user profile memory
according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIGS. 10A and 10B are examples of communication control
information tables based on the dynamic user profile and the static
user profile according to the second embodiment of the present
invention.
[0025] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the mobile terminal and the
service providing system according to a third embodiment of the
present invention.
[0026] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of processing flow of
providing a service according to the third embodiment of the
present invention.
[0027] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of application service
according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of concept of the service
providing system according to a fourth embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are
explained below with reference to the drawings.
The First Embodiment
[0030] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the mobile terminal and the
service providing system according to the first embodiment of the
present invention. This system consists of the mobile terminal 10A,
a wireless gateway 19 mutually connecting a wireless network 18 and
an Internet 20, a location information providing server 21 and a
location dependent service providing server 22 connected to the
Internet 20. The mobile terminal 10A is, for example, the
cellular-phone or a portable information terminal. The mobile
terminal 10A includes an input unit 11 such as various kinds of
keys commonly found on a cellular-phone, an information
presentation unit 12 such as a-display or a speaker, an information
control unit 13 including a CPU, a communication unit 14 including
an antenna to transmit to and receive from the external world by
wireless, a location information acquirement unit 15, and a dynamic
user profile memory 16. Hereinafter, an internal component of the
mobile terminal 10A is explained in detail.
[0031] The input unit 11 executes various kinds of operations
including an input operation to select a service to be provided for
the mobile terminal 10A as the operation related to the present
invention.
[0032] The information presentation unit 12 presents location
information acquired by the location information acquirement unit
15, or location information sent by the location information
providing server 21, and service information provided by the
location dependent service providing server 22 to the user.
[0033] The location information acquirement unit 15 acquires
present location information of the mobile terminal 10A from
discrimination information of a building located near or
neighboring to the mobile terminal using a communication method
such as "Bluetooth", "IrDA", or a wireless tag, and provides the
location information to the information control unit 13.
[0034] The location information acquirement unit 15 may be omitted
if location information having the accuracy necessary to decide the
present location of the mobile terminal 10A is always provided by
the location information providing server 21. Conversely, if the
present location information of the mobile terminal 10A is always
acquired by the location information acquirement unit 15, the
location information providing server 21 may be omitted. Of course,
the location information acquired by both the location information
acquirement unit 15 and the location information providing server
21 may be used.
[0035] The dynamic user profile memory 16 stores information
dynamically changed by a location change or a time passage of the
mobile terminal 10A, in a user profile as the information related
to the user of the mobile terminal 10A. Concretely, as shown in
FIG. 2, (1) the location information of the mobile terminal 10A,
(2) a location dependent/independent indication information
representing a distinction whether the user receives the location
dependent service or the location independent service, and (3)
other location dependent information, are stored as the dynamic
user profile. In this case, as the location information of the
mobile terminal 10A in the dynamic user profile, the location
information acquired by the location information acquirement unit
15 or the location information provision server 21 is used.
Furthermore, in the dynamic user profile, user ID information
related to the user's privacy is not included.
[0036] The communication unit 14 transmits/receives normal
communication information of the mobile terminal 10A, and transmits
a service request and the dynamic user profile stored in the
dynamic user profile memory 16. Furthermore, the communication unit
14 transmits the location information acquired by the location
information acquirement unit 15 and a location information request
for provision of the location information to the location
information providing server 21. Furthermore, the communication
unit 14 receives the location information provided by the location
information providing server 21 and the service information
provided by the location dependent service providing server 22.
[0037] The information control unit 13 executes various kinds of
information control such as a receipt of input from the input unit
11, a presentation control for the information presentation unit
12, a control of the location information acquirement unit 15, and
a taking of acquired location information, control of read/write of
the dynamic user profile memory 16, a providing of sending data to
the communication unit 14 and a taking of receiving data from the
communication unit 14.
[0038] Next, the wireless gateway 19, the location information
providing server 21, and the location dependent service providing
server 22 are explained. The communication unit 14 of the mobile
terminal 10A is connected to the wireless gateway 19 through the
wireless network 18. The wireless network 18 includes a base
station communicating with the mobile terminal 10A and a mobile
exchange connected to the base station, and it is connected to the
wireless gateway 19. The wireless gateway 19 mutually connects the
wireless network 18 and the Internet 20 as a communication network
connected by the location information providing server 21 and the
location dependent service providing server 22, and executes a
protocol conversion. Furthermore, as a control related to the
present invention, the wireless gateway 19 controls communication
among the mobile terminal 10A, the location information providing
server 21, and the location dependent service providing server 22
through the wireless network 18 and the Internet 20.
[0039] The location information providing server 21 remotely
acquires a present location of the mobile terminal 10A independent
of the location information acquirement unit 15, and provides
location information such as the latitude and the longitude to the
mobile terminal 10A. For example, the location of the mobile
terminal 10A is acquired by GPS. Furthermore, in case that the
wireless network 18 is a PHS type network, the communicatable zone
is narrow in comparison with normal cellular-phone network.
Therefore, the location of the mobile terminal 10A is comparatively
acquired as high accuracy by detecting the zone in which the mobile
terminal 10A operates. In case that the wireless network 18 is the
cellular-phone network of a CDMA system, the communicatable zone is
large in comparison with the PHS type network. However, two or
three base stations always catch the mobile terminal 10A.
Therefore, the location of the mobile terminal 10A is also
comparatively acquired with a high accuracy.
[0040] The location dependent service providing server 22 receives
the dynamic user profile transmitted by the mobile terminal 10A,
and provides a service dependent on the location of the mobile
terminal 10A to the mobile terminal 10A according to the location
information in the dynamic user profile. This location information
is acquired by the location information acquirement unit 15 or
provided from the location information providing server 21 to the
mobile terminal 10A. In this case, the service dependent on the
location of the mobile terminal 10A includes, for example, various
kinds of advertisements directed to the area where the mobile
terminal 10A is located, for example, an advertisement of a store
such as a restaurant and gift shop, coupon information, an
advertisement such as a tourist resort, a theme park, a lodging
institute, a cinema theater, an introduction of a special product,
a guidance of public institute, a weather forecast, traffic
guidance, and guidance to various events. Furthermore, in the first
embodiment, the location information providing server 21 and the
location dependent service providing server 22 are respectively
retained and controlled by a location information provider and a
service provider. However, both servers 21 and 22 may be retained
and controlled by the same provider.
[0041] Next, a flow of provision processing of the location
dependent service according to the first embodiment is explained by
referring to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows an information exchange among the
mobile terminal 10A, the wireless gateway 19, the location
information providing server 21, and the location dependent service
providing server 22 in case of providing the location dependent
service. Assume that a user carrying the mobile terminal 10A
desires to receive traffic guidance to reach a destination. In this
case, the mobile terminal 10A accesses a service provider of the
traffic guidance including the location dependent service providing
server 22. A location of the user's present place is informed to
the location dependent service providing server 22. Hereinafter, a
case that this location information is provided from the location
information providing server 21 to the mobile terminal 10A and
supplied to the location dependent service providing server 22 is
explained.
[0042] When the user operates a service request to receive a
location dependent service such as traffic guidance through the
input unit 11 of the mobile terminal 10A, a request for location
information is transmitted from the mobile terminal 10A before the
service request is transmitted. For example, the request for
location information includes a user ID. The user ID is not
necessary to be an absolute ID. It may be an ID assigned from
several IDs prepared by the wireless gateway 19 in order to
temporarily discriminate from other user IDs. The request for
location information transmitted by the mobile terminal 10A is sent
to the location information providing server 21 through the
wireless network 18, the wireless gateway 19 and the Internet
20.
[0043] In response to this request for location information, the
location information providing server 21 acquires, for example,
location information (x, y) consisting of the latitude and the
longitude measured by GPS, and sends the location information to
the mobile terminal 10A. In the mobile terminal 10A receiving the
location information from the location information providing server
21 through the Internet 20, the wireless gateway 19, and the
wireless network 18, a location information as one part of the
dynamic user profile stored in the dynamic user profile memory 16
is updated.
[0044] The mobile terminal 10A transmits the updated dynamic user
profile with the service request information. The information of
service request and the updated dynamic user profile sent from the
mobile terminal 10A are received by the wireless gateway 19 through
the wireless network 18.
[0045] The wireless gateway 19 stores a table of communication
control information as shown in FIG. 4A. In this table, a service
request ID (p1, p2, . . . ) representing a packet ID of the service
request sent from the mobile terminal, a service provider name
(PR1, PR2, . . . ) controlling the location information providing
server 22 as the destination of a service request packet, a
location information ((X1, Y1), (X2, Y2), . . . ) of the mobile
terminal, a user temporary ID (UID1, UID2, . . . ), a parameter
(ds1, ds2, . . . ) necessary to actually provide the service are
correspondingly stored.
[0046] In this case, the user temporary ID (UID1, UID2, . . . ) is
a temporarily assigned ID to specify the mobile terminal as a
providing destination of the service sent from the location
dependent service providing server 22. The user temporary ID
corresponds to the user ID as the user's actual ID of the mobile
terminal by a user ID correspondence table (not shown) of the
wireless gateway 19. In short, in the wireless gateway 19, the user
ID of the mobile terminal is replaced by the user temporary ID
(Randomize (user ID.fwdarw.temporary ID) in FIG. 3) in order to
conceal the user ID from the outside.
[0047] The parameter (ds1, ds2, . . . ) is, for example, the
latitude and the longitude representing the destination, or the
address information if, for example, the location dependent service
is traffic guidance. The parameter may be a time list in case of
non-arriving at the destination.
[0048] In FIG. 4A, the service request packet of the service
request ID "P3" does not include location information, and a column
of the location information is "NULL". In this case, the wireless
gateway 19 decides that the service request packet of the service
request ID "P3" is not transmitted to the location dependent
service providing server 22. Accordingly, the wireless gateway 19
transmits the service request pocket to the location information
providing server 21 and obtains the location information. In this
way, after all contents of the packet are prepared, the service
request packet is transmitted to the location dependent service
providing server 22. The wireless gateway 19 sends the service
request and the dynamic user profile to the location dependent
service providing server 22 according to the table of communication
control information shown in FIG. 4A.
[0049] In this case, in the service request packet, the user
temporary ID is excluded as shown in FIG. 4B. The service request
packet without a user temporary ID is transmitted. Accordingly, for
example, it is prevented that a service provider having the
location dependent service providing server 22 knows the user ID
from the user temporary ID and it is effective to keep the privacy
secret. Furthermore, when the wireless gateway 19 transmits the
service request and the dynamic user profile to the location
dependent service providing server 22, ID of the wireless gateway
19 is also transmitted (not shown in FIG. 4B). In this way, after
the wireless gateway 19 transmits the service request and the
dynamic user profile to the location dependent service providing
server 22, the location dependent service providing server 22
creates service information such as traffic guidance as the
location dependent service information according to the location
information and the parameter included in the dynamic user profile,
and transmits it as service response information to the wireless
gateway 19.
[0050] The location dependent service providing server 22 receives
a plurality of service requests from the wireless gateway 19 in
each place. The location dependent service providing server 22
stores the received service request in a service request
information table. As shown in FIG. 5A, in the service request
information table, a service request ID (p1, p113, . . . ), a
wireless gateway ID (WG1, WG11, . . . ) of the wireless gateway 19
as the destination, location information ((X1, Y1), (X2, Y2), . . .
) of the mobile terminal 10A, and the parameter (ds1, ds2, . . . )
are correspondingly stored. The location dependent service
providing server 22 creates service information for the service
request by referring to this table and sends a service
response.
[0051] For example, as shown in FIG. 5B, if the service information
si1 for the service request of the service request ID "p1" is
created, the location dependent service providing server 22 finds
the wireless gateway ID as the destination of the service
information si1 by referring to the service request information
table shown in FIG. 5A. In this case, the wireless gateway ID is
"WG1". Therefore, as for the wireless gateway 19 whose ID is "WG1",
the service information si1 with the service request ID and the
location information of the mobile terminal 10A are transmitted as
service response information as shown in FIG. 5B. In this case, as
for the service request received by the same wireless gateway 19,
for example, as shown in FIG. 5B, as for the service request of the
service request ID "P1, P9" received by the wireless gateway 19 of
ID "WG1" in the table of FIG. 5A, created service information "si1,
si9" with the service request ID and the location information of
the mobile terminal 10A may be sent to the wireless gateway 19
together.
[0052] The wireless gateway 19 compares the service response
information sent in the format shown in FIG. 5B with the
communication control information table shown in FIG. 4a, and
specifies the mobile terminal to receive the service response
information. For example, it is checked whether the service request
ID "p1" in FIG. 5B is included in the communication control
information table in FIG. 4A. If the service request ID "P1" is not
included, a corresponding mobile terminal does not exist.
Therefore, the wireless gateway 19 sends back the service response
information to the location dependent service providing server 22.
If the service request ID "p1" is included in the communication
control information table shown in FIG. 4A, it is checked whether
the location information corresponding to the service request ID
"p1" in FIG. 5B is the same as the location information
corresponding to "p1" in FIG. 4A. If this location information is
the same, the user temporary ID corresponding to the service
request ID "p1" is extracted from the communication control
information table in FIG. 4A, the user ID corresponding to the user
temporary ID is recognized by referring to the above-mentioned user
ID corresponding table (Randomize (temporary user ID.fwdarw.user
ID) in FIG. 3), and the service response information is sent to the
mobile terminal 10A of the user ID.
[0053] FIG. 6 shows one example of a mobile terminal for traffic
guidance service according to the first embodiment. For example,
the user inserts the terminal 1 into a pocket and goes to the
destination while the user hears the service information of route
guidance through a headphone 2. Furthermore, the user speaks a
service request through a microphone 3.
[0054] In this way, in the first embodiment, by using the location
information provided by the location information provision server
21 or acquired by the location information acquirement unit 15 of
the mobile terminal 10A, the location information service providing
server 22 provides the service of local advertisement or guidance
dependent on the location of the mobile terminal 10A to the mobile
terminal 10A. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, from the user
side carrying the mobile terminal 10A, the user ID is managed as
the user temporary ID by the wireless gateway 19, and both the user
ID and the user temporary ID are not sent to the server 22 in order
to keep them secret. Therefore, the user ID and the user's personal
privacy are not disclosed to the service provider, and the user can
safely receive the service dependent on the location.
The Second Embodiment
[0055] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the mobile terminal and the
service providing system according to the second embodiment of the
present invention. In the second embodiment, in addition to the
dynamic user profile memory 16, the mobile terminal 10B includes a
static user profile memory 17 for storing a static user profile not
changed by the location change and the time passage.
[0056] A location independent service providing server 23 receives
the static user profile transmitted from the mobile terminal 10B,
and provides a service independent on a location of the mobile
terminal 10B to the mobile terminal 10B. It is retained and managed
by a service provider. The service provider for managing the
location independent service providing server 23 may be the same as
a provider for managing the location dependent service providing
server 22 or the location information providing server 21.
[0057] In the same way as in first embodiment, the dynamic user
profile memory 16 stores information dynamically changed according
to a location change and a time passage of the mobile terminal 10B,
in a user profile as the information related to the user of the
mobile terminal 10B. As shown in FIG. 8A, (1) the location
information of the mobile terminal 10B, (2) a location
dependent/independent indication information representing a
distinction whether the user receives the location dependent
service or the location independent service, and (3) other location
dependent information are stored as the dynamic user profile.
[0058] In the dynamic user profile, user ID information related to
the privacy of the user of the mobile terminal 10B is not
included.
[0059] On the other hand, the static user profile memory 17 stores
static information not changed by a location change and a time
passage of the mobile terminal 10B in a user profile as the
information related to the user of the mobile terminal 10B. As
shown in FIG. 8B, (1) the user ID of the mobile terminal 10B, (2) a
user liking information representing the user's taste (For example,
the user likes French food, the user's hobby is cinema
appreciation, and the user likes a tourist resort.), and (3) a
location independent information are stored. When the user outputs
the service request from the mobile terminal 10B, a distinction
whether the user requests the location dependent service from the
location dependent service providing server 22 or the location
independent service from the location independent service providing
server 23 is determined by the location dependent/independent
indication information registered in the dynamic user profile
memory 16.
[0060] FIGS. 9A and 9B show examples of memory contents of the
dynamic user profile memory 16 and the static user profile memory
17 in the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9A, the dynamic user
profile consists of history information (For example, date (tn,
tn-1, . . . ) when the location information is acquired), the
acquired location information ((X1, Y1), (X2, Y2), . . . ), and a
parameter (ds1, ds2, . . . ). In case of traffic guidance as the
location dependent service, the parameter (ds1, ds2, . . . )
consists of the latitude and the longitude of the destination, or a
list of address information. In this way, the dynamic user profile
changes over time as, for example, the location of the mobile
terminal 10B or the service request in the user profile changes. In
short, the information does not infringe the user's privacy. The
service request is transmitted and the provided service is received
without identifying the user.
[0061] On the other hand, the static user profile is information
not changed over short period of time in the user profile, and it
consists of a user ID (AUI), a valid term (YYMMDD), and a parameter
(uf1) as shown in FIG. 9B.
[0062] The wireless gateway 19 distinctly treats the dynamic user
profile and the static user profile from the mobile terminal 10B as
follows. FIGS. 10A and 10B respectively show a communication
control information table based on the dynamic user profile and the
static user profile stored in the wireless gateway 19. As for a
control based on the dynamic user profile, in the same way as the
first embodiment, the wireless gateway 19 issues a user temporary
ID to identify the user, and stores the communication control
information table as shown in FIG. 10A. Then, based on the
communication control information table, the wireless gateway 19
excludes the user temporary ID from the service request and the
dynamic user profile, and sends the service request and the dynamic
user profile to the location dependent service providing server 22
in a format including an ID of the wireless gateway 19.
[0063] On the other hand, the static user profile including
information related to the user's privacy maintains a high secrecy
level. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10B, the wireless gateway 19
stores the communication control information table. This table
consists of a service request ID (up1, up2, . . . ) to discriminate
the service content, a service provider name (PR1, PR2, . . . ), a
user temporary ID (au1, au2, . . . ), and a parameter (ds11, ds12,
. . . ) necessary for the service. Then, based on the communication
control information table, the wireless gateway 19 sends the
service request and the static user profile to the location
independent service providing server 23 by a format including ID of
the wireless gateway 19.
[0064] In this case, as for the user temporary ID in FIG. 10A and
the user temporary ID in FIG. 10B, a different ID is assigned to
the same user of the mobile terminal 10B. The user temporary ID
(UID1, UID2, . . . ) generated from the dynamic user profile is
generated whenever the user requests a service, and a fixed user
temporary ID is not assigned to the same user. Therefore, if a
hacker breaks into the wireless gateway 19, and even if the hacker
finds a place of the user unspecified at that time, the hacker
cannot identify each user. In the same way, the user temporary ID
(au1, au2) generated from the static user profile is not linked to
the location information of the user. Therefore, even if the user
informs a credit number for charge payment, and if the user does
not permit, the hacker cannot know where the user is located and
what the user did.
[0065] In this way, in the second embodiment, the user obtains the
location information of the mobile terminal 10B without
identification of the user, and separately receives the location
dependent service from the location dependent service providing
server 22 and the location independent service such as payment
necessary to identify from the location independent service
providing server 23.
The Third Embodiment
[0066] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the mobile terminal and the
service providing system according to a third embodiment of the
present invention. In the third embodiment, instead of the location
information providing server 21, a user non-identification service
providing server 31 for providing a service not requiring a user
identification such as the location information to the mobile
terminal 10B is set, and a user identification service providing
server 32 for providing a service requiring a user identification
such as the purchase of a ticket or commodity to the mobile
terminal 10B is set, which are different from the second
embodiment. The user non-identification service providing server 31
may be the same as the location information providing server 21, or
may include a function of the location information providing server
21. In the same way, the user identification service providing
server 32 may be the same as the location dependent information
providing server 22, or may include a function of the location
dependent service providing server 22.
[0067] In the second embodiment, the wireless gateway 19 does not
especially discriminate the service provider (server) to send the
dynamic user profile and the static user profile respectively
stored as a format of the communication control information table
shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. However, in the third embodiment, the
dynamic user profile is sent to the user non-identification service
providing server 31 and the static user profile is sent to the user
identification service providing server 32. In this way, the user
profile is sent with distinction of the destination server.
Furthermore, when the dynamic user profile stored as the format of
the communication control information table shown in FIG. 10A is
sent to the user non-identification service providing server 31,
the user temporary ID is excluded, and it is sent as a format
including ID of the wireless gateway 19 in the same way as in the
second embodiment. When the static user profile shown in FIG. 10B
is sent to the user identification service providing server 32, the
user temporary ID is not excluded and it is sent in a format
including the ID of the wireless gateway 19.
[0068] Next, a processing flow of the service request and the
service providing according to the third embodiment is explained by
referring to FIG. 12. In short, when the mobile terminal 10B
transmits a request for user non-identification service, the
wireless gateway 19 executes a randomizing operation (user ID
user.fwdarw.temporary ID), and stores the communication control
information table shown in FIG. 10A. Then, the user temporary ID is
excluded from this table in FIG. 10A, and the request for user
non-identification service as the format including ID of the
wireless gateway 19 is sent to the user non-identification service
providing server 31. After the user non-identification service
providing server 31 sends the service response information in
response to the request, the wireless gateway 19 executes a
randomizing operation (user temporary ID.fwdarw.user ID), and
transfers the service response information to the mobile terminal
10B which sent the request for user non-identification service. In
this case, in the mobile terminal 10B, the dynamic user profile
stored in the dynamic user profile memory 16 is updated.
[0069] On the other hand, when the mobile terminal 10B sends a
request for a user identification service, the wireless gateway 19
executes a randomizing operation (user ID.fwdarw.user temporary
ID), and stores the communication control information table shown
in FIG. 10B. In this case, the user temporary ID is not excluded as
shown in FIG. 10B. Then, a request for user identification service
in a format including an ID of the wireless gateway 19 is sent to
the user identification service providing server 32. When the user
identification service providing server 32 sends a service response
information in response to the request, the wireless gateway 19
executes a randomizing operation (user temporary ID.fwdarw.user ID)
and transfers the service response information to the mobile
terminal 10B that sent the request for user identification
service.
[0070] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of an outline of an
application service of the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 13,
an advertisement server, a local EC server, a super market
register, a convenience store, and a theme park belong to the user
non-identification service. An entrance of the super market, the
convenience store, and a notebook PC, belong to the user
identification service.
[0071] In this way, in the third embodiment, the user
non-identification service not requiring a user identification and
the user identification service requiring a user identification are
distinctly controlled. Therefore, in case of receiving the user
non-identification service, the user can safely receive the service
without infringement of the user's privacy.
The Fourth Embodiment
[0072] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of a concept according to a
fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 14, in
case that the user of the mobile terminal is a pedestrian and in
case that the user rides in a high speed mobile object such as an
automobile, an electric car, a bus, or a motorcycle, a movement
area of the former per unit of time is A1, a movement area of the
latter per unit of time is A2, and these movement areas are
different (A1<A2). Accordingly, when the user receives the
location dependent service, object areas necessary for the service
information of both cases are naturally different.
[0073] In the fourth embodiment, when the location dependent
service providing server 22 provides the location dependent service
in response to the service request from the mobile terminal, it is
desired that the service for a narrow area is provided if the user
of the mobile terminal is a pedestrian, and the service for a wide
area is provided if the user rides in a high speed mobile object.
In short, in proportion to action area (movement area of the mobile
terminal) of the user of the mobile terminal, a search area of
service information to be provided as the location dependent
service, i.e., a location dependent area (an area to obtain the
service information in case that the location of the mobile
terminal is regarded as a center position of the area), is
adaptively changed.
[0074] In order to concretely realize a providing of adaptive
location dependent service according to such user's action area
(movement area of the mobile terminal), for example, information
related to the speed of the mobile terminal, which represents
whether the user is a pedestrian or rides in a high speed mobile
object, is acquired and newly added to the static user profile. The
information of the moving speed with the service request is sent to
the location dependent service providing server 22. In the location
dependent service providing server 22, the search area (location
dependent area) of service information provided as the location
dependent service changes by the information of the moving
speed.
[0075] In this way, in the fourth embodiment, the search area of
service information provided as the location dependent service is
adaptively changed by the information of moving speed of the mobile
terminal. Accordingly, a more useful location dependent service is
provided for the user carrying the mobile terminal.
[0076] As mentioned-above, in the present invention, the service
suitable for movement of the mobile terminal, i.e., the service
dependent on the location of the mobile terminal, is provided for
the mobile terminal. Furthermore, the service is provided for the
user of the mobile terminal while the user's anonymity is
maintained. In short, the service is provided while the anonymity
is maintained by type of the service or the user is identified.
[0077] A memory device, including a CD-ROM, floppy disk, hard disk
magnetic tape, or semiconductor memory can be used to store
instructions for causing a processor or computer to perform the
process described above.
[0078] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those
skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and
practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the
specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with
the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the
following claims.
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